The Entwives
by wigitdog
Summary: Seemingly by chance, Legolas and Sam both take their families to Rivendell for a little trip. But what starts as a simple trip becomes a quest for the lost Entwives. I know the summary is bad. Please read it anyway.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own the plot. Tolkien owns the rest.**

The usually quiet Bag End was a scene of chaos. Little Rosie was hopping up and down with excitement; Little Frodo had climbed on the table and even Elanor, quiet and Elven-wise as she was for her ten years, had pounced on her _Adar_ and hugged him.

"Really, really?" they asked. "Can we really go to Rivendell and see Elrond and Glorfindel and the Elves?

"Yes," Sam nodded. "Merry and Pippin will have to stay home with your mother; they are too little, and with that little Gardner on the way, your mother isn't going anywhere. But we four will have a little trip to Rivendell and we'll be back in no time.

The children ran off to tell their friends the exciting news and left Sam alone, thinking. He thought the journey to Rivendell. Close as Rivendell was, it was not always such a simple matter to get there, as Sam knew from experience. It was not likely for the way to be as dangerous as it had been back in 1418, when the Enemy was bending all his power toward their little group of hobbits and they were being pursued by Nazgul. No, not nearly that dangerous, but still. One never knew what you would find outside of Hobbiton. Folks out there were queer.

Elanor, he knew could do it. At only ten years, she had the air of an Elven-maid, with all the wisdom of several ages behind her. Rightly was she called The Fair, for she had hair the color of Elanor the flower, the star-sun of Lorien for which she was named. The like of it had never been seen in the Shire, or even in Bree. Frodo, at eight, was at first glance a typical hobbit-child. He played games with his friends, and enjoyed his meals, often and plentiful. But, as Gandalf had once said of his namesake, there was "more to him than met the eye." Although he could not pay attention for very long, he had learned a fair amount of Sindarin and a smattering of Quenya, as well as some history and a bit about the crafts of the road.   
And Rose, barely more than a toddler, was ever cheerful and good humored. She also had the gift of her mother: nearly everyone who met her loved her immediately.   
They would be fine. Nothing bad could happen.   
**I'm sorry this chapter is so short. I will try to make the next one longer. Please review, even if you hate it. If you don't like it, just tell me why and I will try to make the next chapters more to your liking. If two people tell me to update, I will.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: You've read enough of these to know what it should say.**   
**Authors Note: Remember, if I've done anything wrong, be it grammar, canon, or anything else, let me know so that I can try to fix it. **   
After that, there was a long week of packing during which everybody ran up and down the stairs carrying things and yelling. 

Finally, all was ready. After much deliberation among all of Hobbiton, as it was the custom for everyone to meddle in and comment on each others affairs, they had decided to take five ponies: one for Sam, one for Frodo, one for Elanor and Rose to share, since Rosie couldn't ride without help, and two for the baggage. Two baggage ponies were needed because there was no need to go quickly and quietly, so they might as well be comfortable and comfortable, for hobbits, meant at least one pony load of food. The other pony would carry all of the clothes and equipment as well as the many items needed for traveling with small children. He would be heavily burdened.

Somehow, they finished packing and were ready to set out. A good number of friends showed up to wish them good luck, as well as the usual skeptics who said that they really didn't know why decent, respectable Hobbits who were perfectly comfortable in Hobbiton should go gallivanting off into the Wild. No amount of explanation could persuade them that Rivendell was hardly the Wild, so the Gardners ignored the warnings and advice as they mounted their ponies.

They were all happy as they set off: Sam, because it made him remember back when Master Frodo was still here; Elanor because she would see "real live Elves;" Frodo, because it was an adventure and Rosie, just because everyone else was happy.

They rode for several hours without any excitement. They were nearing Bree, and Frodo was starting to worry that it wouldn't be a real adventure, when suddenly, Sam sensed something. He never did find out how he sensed it, but it was a lucky thing he did.

He steered his pony into the trees at the side of the rode and motioned to the children to do the same. They were just safely concealed in the trees when they heard a noise that Sam had hoped never to hear again; a noise that brought back memories of long marches, and pursuit, and carrying his master through Mordor.

_We are the fighting Uruk-hai!_

It was the sound of Orcs on the march. And not just any Orcs: these were the dangerous Uruks themselves.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed, namely: ello101345, my name is irrelevant, Lady Eowyn Baggins, The Nameless Elf, Lalaithdil and Anonymous. Review again and I'll be even happier. **

Sam and the children waited, terrified, as the Orcs had passed. The singing, banging column went on and on for what seemed like hours. 

Rose started to cry quietly, her sobs muffled in Elanor's cloak. Elanor patted her comfortingly, but shared Sam's worry that the Orcs would hear them. They could notice any second, and if they did… Elanor did not want to think about that.

But the Orcs didn't hear Rosie's crying or Elanor's heart pounding. They passed, and the Hobbits heard their chants and yells fading away.

When they could barely hear them, Elanor started to steer her pony back to the road, but Sam grabbed her arm.

"Wait," he hissed. "They are still near."

Elanor waited impatiently for a while until the Orcs were far enough away that they couldn't hear them. She caught Sam's eye, but he shook his head. Elanor sighed, but obeyed her father.

Finally, Sam gave his pony's sides a little squeeze and the pony, still trembling with fright, walked onto the road. Sam gave him a reassuring pat.

Elanor looked happy to be back on the road but Frodo was still pale and shaken and Rosie was still near tears.

Sam was a bit worried himself. Seeing Uruks that close to the Shire couldn't be a good thing. Wherever they were, there was fighting and killing and Sam wanted no part of that, especially when his children were there.

He soon saw that Rosie and Frodo were too tired and distressed to go on any longer, so he called a rest break. No sooner had they tumbled off the ponies and curled up than the two younger children were asleep.

Elanor and Sam moved a few feet away so as not to wake the little ones and then made a fire to cook dinner. Some of the meat they had brought from Hobbiton was in the pot cooking when Elanor spoke:

"Dad?" she asked hesitantly.

Sam looked at her to show that he was listening.

"What were those Orcs doing here? I thought that they were all gone since you and Uncle Frodo destroyed Him, but now they're just outside the Shire. And even when He was around, there weren't Orcs _here_, were there?"

Sam shook his head.

"Elanor," he said slowly. "I don't know what to tell you. Except while we were trying to get the Ring out, to my knowledge there have never been Dark creatures this near the Shire. I certainly hope that the Orcs don't have a new Dark Lord to rule them and that they're just wandering around making trouble, but I don't know."

"Oh," Elanor whispered.

Sam could see that Elanor knew how worried he was and was deciding not to talk about it. He was going to try to have a cheerful conversation, but suddenly, he felt so tired that he could barely lie down and pull a blanket around himself before he fell asleep. As his eyes closed, he saw the little ones sleeping and Elanor curling up next to him.

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